How to Not Feel Alone Even When You’re Working At Home

Working at home can be very lonely – and it can lead to isolation and an introver-lution (okay, I made that up, combining evolution + introvert, which you probably already get, anyhow…) Yes, working at home, all alone in your home office, talking to nobody and seeing nobody the whole day (or most of it) can help you if you want to lose your sanity soon or if you want to become a hermit. So, if you have no plans of going cuckoo and you’re not in search for absolute peace, tranquility, and all that jazz right now, here are some things you can do to feel that you’re alive and part of the human world even when you’re working at home…

Facebook and Twitter much – Who doesn’t have a Facebook account these days? If you have access to a computer or a mobile phone with internet connection, it is a must to use these social networking sites and explore the world (and stalk your friends or whoever else) every once in a while. I actually thinking adults who have a need for networking and having a social life should allot at least 30 minutes of their daily living to browsing social networks – not just to chat or see what’s up with their friends but to also get a grasp of current societal issues.

Read or Watch the News – You can get tiny bits of details from social networking sites but the best source of info with regards to societal issues is still the media – online and not. If you want to feel part of a community, then you need to be aware of the important stuff happening in your society – and the only way for you to do that is to read or watch the news. Spare at least 30 minutes of your time reading the newspaper online or the traditional way.

Organize Meetups or Attend Events – If you have co-workers, you might want to meet up with them every once in a while, outside the virtual and digital realm. Stop skyping and meet up at least once a month or once in two months if you could. If your co-workers live in the far-other-side of the world, you can just attend events where you can build a support network. These include conferences, seminars, trade shows, and the likes. If this doesn’t interest you, going out with your friends on a regular basis may suffice.

Work Outside – Your home office is not a cage so consider bringing your laptop out of the room and working somewhere else every now and then. A change of scenery can actually do you good. Work in a coffee shop, a library, a park or somewhere with free WiFi and good music. I personally enjoy working in not-so-crowded coffee shops.